Air cleaner



Jan. 28, 1947. Y J. B'. SEBOK 2,414,904

' AIR CLEANER Filed April 21, 19 15 JEsEPH L5. 5550K Patented Jan. 28, 1947 AIR CLEANER J oscph B. Sebok, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Houdaille-Hershey Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April 21, 1943, Serial No. 483,879

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in an air cleaner, and more particular y to an air cleaner of the liquid bath type highly desirable for use in connection with air compressors and equivalent apparatus, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one sk lled in the art.

In the past, considerable difficulty has been experienced in providing a liquid bath air cleaner satisfactory for operation with an air compressor. This is especially true with an air compressor associated with apparatus in such a manner that the air compressor runs substantially continuously, and air is discharged periodically through a release valve. Under such conditions, and also upon the stopping of air compressor, there is a back pressure or discharge of the air reversely through the cleaner which causes a surge in the cleansing l quid of the cleaner and tends to expel this cleansing l quid through the air inlet of the cleaner. Obviously, after relatively few such expulsions of cleansing licuid, the air cleaner is not capable of operating with adequate eiiiciency. When it is realized that an. air cleaner for use with an air compressor must be of relatively small size, ard yet provide a relatively high capacity, the difficulty experienced in the past in providing an air cleaner satisfying all of the requirements for desired operation in connection with an air compressor is made more apparent, especially in the endeavor to provide adequate capacity, compactness. low restriction, and at the same time eliminating the occurrence of deleterious results from back pressure or blow back through the air cleaner.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important objector the instant invention to provide an air cleaner of the liquid bath type which is of extremely small s ze, and yet provided with a large filter body contained therein.

Another object of the invention resides 'in the provision of a liquid bath air cleaner highly de sirable for use in connection with an air compressor. and which is so constructed as to provide a circuitous or tortuous passage for entering air though such surge occurs frequently and at indeterminate or indefinite intervals. i k Another object of the invention is the provision of an air cleaner having a liquid sump therein arranged to bypass air traveling reversely through the cleaner by virtue of back pressure or blow back at a point above the liquid sump.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a liquid bath air cleaner of relatively small size, and in which the filter mass is so arranged with respect to the inlet passageway as to define a tortuous path of travel for entering air.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a liquid bath air cleaner of relatively small size in which the filter body is expanded below the air inlet opening so as to block the air from a straight path of travel toward the liquid sump.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an air cleaner of relatively small size, highly desirable for use in connection with an air compressor, and in which the inlet opening is interj'nally flanged or provided with an equivalent construction to prevent loss of liquid due to surge caused by blow back through the air cleaner.

Still a further object of the invention resides in the provision of a liquid bath air cleaner which is extremely compact in construction, economical to manufacture and use, provided with a high capacity filter mass, and which is highly efficient in operation.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out. others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an air cleaner embodying principles of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a central transverse vertical sectional view, with parts shown in elevation, taken substantially as indicated by the line IIII of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

- Figure 3 is a part side elevat onal and part sectional view of the structure of Figures 1 and 2.

As shown on the drawing:

In the illustrated embodiment of the instant invention, there is shown a liquid bath air cleaner including a casing comprising separable sections, an upper or .top section generally indicated by numeral 5, and a lower cup-like section housing the liquid sump, generally indicated by numeral 6. Within these casing sections isanother selectively separable part in the form of a filter holding unit,fgenerally indicated by numeral 1. As

illustrated, the entire casing is generally rectangular in cross section, this shape being desirable for adequate capacity consistent with compactness.

The upper casing section 5 includes a relatively higher dome-like central portion 8 which forms an internal chamber 9 for cleaned air. Immediately below this portion, the casing is shouldered as indicated at H) to provide an inside seat for an annular gasket ll against which the filter unit abuts, and below the shoulder the casing section is again flanged outwardly terminating in a depending hood l2, The upper central portion 8 is provided with a clean air outlet cpening defined by a flange support is which carries an outlet conduit 4. The outer end of this conduit is provided with a suitable attaching flange l5 by which the entire cleaner construc tion is connected with the air intake of an air compressor or other apparatus.

The lower casing section 6 embodies an upper wall portion IG having an outwardly turned lip l? at the upper edge thereof which seats firmly against the upper casing section just inside the hood l2, in such a manner that the lip tends to bite into the upper casing section so as to provide an airtight seal at this point. Below the flared edge 51, the lower section is provided with an elongated inlet opening defined by inwardly err-- tending flanges H? on each side thereof, as seen best in Figure 2. This inlet opening is partially covered by the outstanding hood or shield IE on. the upper casing section, but is not covered by the hood sufficiently to add to the restriction of entering air. However, the hood is in such position that it prevents dirt and debris from falling into such location that it may be sucked into the inlet openings. The lower casing section is provided with a substantially flat bottom is, and the wall portion is stepped inwardly as indicated at 26 toward this bottom to define an internal liquid sump 2! in which cleansing liquid may be placed. On that side of the cleaner where the attaching flange i5 is located the lower section is preferably beaded as indicated at 22 to provide a marker denoting the proper or normal level for sump liquid. On the opposite side of the casing a similar head 23 is provided which is higher along the casing wall than the bead 22 and denotes what may be termed a caution level; that is, when the level of the liquid in the sump 2| reaches the bead 23, the lower section should be removed, cleansed, and new liquid added to the level indicated by the bead 22.

The two casing sections are held tightly together by a pair of spring clamps -1A-24, preferably disposed at opposite end portions of the casing. Each spring clamp is hinged to the lower casing section as indicated at 25, and is provided with areverse U bend in its upper portion which looks into a recess 26 in the upper casing section adjacent the shoulder i8. pedient to press an outwardly extending thumb engaging portion 2'! of each clamp so as to release the reversely bent portion from the recess and pivot the clamp downwardly into disengaged position so that the lower casing section may be d opp e fr m th pper section. When the clamps are in engaged position, by virtue .of their construction they exert a resilient pressure tend.- ing to unite the sections, and causing the outwardly turned lip ll in the lower section to bite into the upper section so as to establish a positive airtight seal.

Inside the casing the filter unit 1 is removably mounted. This unit comprises a shell including It is a simple ,eX-'

an upper portion 28 and a lower portion 29 which are telescopically associated. At the telescopic connection, one of the adjacent wall portions is provided with a plurality of spaced elongated openings 30, and the other wall portion a tongue 3! struck therefrom and bent outwardly. When the two portions are pushed together, the tongues 3| automatically snap outwardly into the openings 30 and lock against the edge of the openings so that the two portions 28 and 29 are semi-permanently held together. Within the two parts of the filter holding element is a filter mass 32 which may be of any suitable filtering material, such as curled cattle-tail hair, vegetable fibre, wavy wire, etc. It will be appreciated that if for any reason it is desirable to remove thefilter mass 32, the tongues 3! may be pressed inwardly suflicient to clear the edges of the openings 30 and the portions of the filter holding unit separated, a suitable tool being used to displace the tongues.

The filter mass 32 is maintained in position within the holding unit at the upper end thereof by a sheet of hardware cloth 33 or the equivalent extending across the holding unit and preferab y dipped in the central portion as indicated at 34. At the bottom, a relatively large aperture 35 is provided in the underside of the lower part 29, and the aperture is internally covered by one or more sheets of hardware cloth 36 which are held in position against dislodgment by virtue of inwardly bent tongues 3'! struck from the wall of the lower part 29 at spaced intervals, these tongues extending over the outer marginal portlon of the hardware cloth sheet 36. It will be noted that the provision of the tongues 31 provides a series of elongated apertures or slots 31a in the wall of the filter holding shaft, which slots are spaced wel1 above the normal level of sump liquid. In the event of a sudden back pressure or blow back, a considerable quantity of the air traveling reversely through the cleaner will be by passed through these slots 31a into the air inlet passage above the liquid sump so that this air will not tend to carry sump liquid with it out through the inlet opening of the cleaner.

The upper margin of the filter holding element is inwardly turned as indicated at 38 to provide an edge portion which seats against the aforesaid gasket 1 I held by the upper casing section. The entire filter element is held in tight association with the gasket by means of a bolt 39 which extends through the top of the upper portion 8 of the upper casing section and is provided with an integral wing nut formation 40 on its outer end. The inner end of the bolt is threaded as indicated at 4| for engagement with a nut 42 secured to and depending from a cross yoke 43 integral with the upper part of the filter holding shell and preferably of inverted channel shape to hold the nut securely. The bolt may also be provided with a crosspin 44 or equivalent construction to prevent the complete removal of the bolt through the aperture in the top of the upper casing section.

It is a simple expedient to insert the entire filter element when the lower casing section 6 is removed. It is simply necessary to press the element in position against the gasket H, and tighten the thumb bolt 39. Likewise, it is a simple expedient to release the bolt 39 from its engagement with the nut 42 and remove the entire filter element from the casing for cleansing or replacement.

It will be especially noted that the filter hold ing shell is expanded outwardlyas indicated at 45 beneath the flange I8 defining the inlet opening on each side of the cleaner. The element is expanded outwardly sufiiciently far so that incoming air cannot descend in a straight path to the liquid sump through the inlet passage 46 between the filter holding shell and the adjacent casing wall. It will be further noted that the filter holding shell is spaced from the casing wall to define the inlet passages 46-46 preferably only at the sides of the casing containing the inlet openings l8--l8, and as seen best in Figure 3, the filter holding shell extends almost to the casing wall at each end of the casing.

In operation, the present invention is extremely simple and highly efficient. Due to suction created in the apparatus, such as an air compressor, to which the cleaner is attached, air is caused to forcibly enter the inlet openings |8-l8. This entering air will descend toward the liquid sump and then rise through the filter mass 32, into the chamber 9, and exit through the outlet conduit l4. At the outset, upon the start of operation, some of the sump liquid will be initially carried into the lower portion of the filter mass, and thereafter enterin air will partially contact sump liquid, and that portion which does not actually contact the liquid in the sump will become intermingled with sump liquid draining from the filter mass or held within the lower portion of the mass. There will be a positive circulation of sump liquid through the lower portion of the mass so that all entering air is commingled with sump liquid sufficient to receive a proper cleansing. The upper portion of the filter mass is preferably retained in a substantially dry condition so that this portion is enabled to remove entrained liquid as well as finer particles of dirt from the traveling air. Consequently, the air exits from the cleaner in a substantially dry and clean state, there being no carry-over of cleansing liquid whatever to the apparatus with which the cleaner is associated. It will be especially noted that the expansion or enlargement of the lower portion of the filter element not only provides additional filtering area, but prevents a direct straight line descent of incoming air toward the liquid sump and defines a circuitous or tortuous path for entering air. Air entering one of the openings l8 contacts the wall of the filter shell and descends over the curvate portion 45 of this shell until it reaches a position beneath the flange [8 through which it entered, and then the air is permitted to descend in a straight line through the passage 46 and turn upwardly through the opening 35 at the bottom of the filter holding shell.

Assuming that the air cleaner is connected with an air compressor, it will be appreciated that when the compressor discharges through a release valve or discharges by virtue of cessation of operation of the compressor, the consequent blow back through the cleaner will not cause a discharge of cleansing liquid through the inlet opening. Such loss of cleansing liquid is prevented by the bypassing of a goodly portion of the reversely travelin air through the openings 31a, by the flanges associated with the inlet openings, and by the tortuous or circuitous path the sump liquid would be forced to take to exit from the cleaner. Accordingly, there is no danger of loss of liquid from the cleaner by virtue of back pressure or blow back.

When it is desired to service the cleaner, it is a simple expedient to release the clamp 24 and drop the lower casing section containing the sump liquid and accumulated dirt, service this casing section and replace it.- While the lower casing section is removed, it is a simple expedient to remove the filter element, if so desired, and wash the element in a suitable cleansing liquid or replace it with a new element. It should be appreciated that an examination of the cleaner may readily be made to determine if servicing is needed. To this end, the clamps 14-24 are loosened, the lower casing section dropped, and since the operator will customarily assume a position away from the mechanism with which the air cleaner is attached, the operator may look across through the lower casing section and determineif the liquid level is at or adjacent the head 22 which will be'on the far side of the casing from the operator. If the level appears to be well above this head, the operator may check with the caution level indicating bead 23 and readily determine if servicing should be had immediately.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided an air cleaner of relatively small size, highly desirable for use in an air compressor or similar apparatus, and which is especially designed to provide a greater than usual filter area, as well as prevent the loss of liquid by virtue of back pressure or blow back through the cleaner. It will further be appreciated that the cleaner is simple in construction, easy to service, efficient in use, and economical to manufacture.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an air cleaner, a casing having a liquid sump in the bottom thereof and an inlet opening above said sump, a filter holding shell in said casing above the sump and spaced from the casing wall to provide an inlet passage leading toward said sump, a filter mass in said shell, and said shell having an openin in the side wall thereof below the inlet and above the sump to bypass air traveling reversely through the cleaner due to back pressure, and said casing having an outlet for air passing through said filter mass.

2. In an air cleaner, a casing having a liquid sump in the bottom thereof and an inlet opening above said sump, a filter holding shell in said casing above the sump and spaced from the casing wall to provide an inlet passage leading toward said sump, a filter mass in said shell, and said shell having 'a, series of elongated openings in the wall thereof above the sump to bypass air traveling reversely through the cleaner by virtue of back pressure, and said casing having an outlet opening for air passing through said filter mass.

3. In an air cleaner, a casing having a liquid sump in the bottom thereof and an inlet opening above said sump, a filter holding shell in said casing above the sump and spaced from the casing wall to provide an inlet passage leading toward "said sump, a filter mass in said shell, and said shell having a tongue struck inwardly from the side wall of said shell to aid in holding the filter mass in position, said tongue being shaped to leave reversely through the cleaner as a result of back pressure, and said casing having an outlet for air passing through said filter mass.

4. In an air cleaner, a, casing having a liquid sump in the bottom thereof and an inlet opening -;above said sump, a filter holding shell in said casing above the sump and spaced from the casing wall to provide an inlet passage leading toward said sump, a filter mass in said shell, and said shell having an opening in the side wall thereof below the inlet and above the sump to bypass air traveling reversely through the cleaner due to back pressure, a flange extending inwardly from the casing wall adjacent said inlet opening, and said shell being outwardly expanded below said flange and to the plan of the flange to render said passage tortuous, said casing having an outlet opening for air passing through said filter mass.

5. In an air cleaner, a casing having a liquid sump in the bottom thereof and an inlet opening above said sump, a filter holding shell in said ca;-

ing above the sump and spaced from the casing wall to provide an inlet passage leading toward said sump, a filter mass in said shell, said shell having an opening in the bottom to provide unrestricted communication between the filter mass and the entire sump therebeneath, said shell having a series of tongues struck inwardly from the side wall of the shell and extending inwardly and upwardly into the filter mass, said tongues leaving openings above the outer terminations of the tongues in the side Wall of said shell above said sump to bypass air travelling reversely through the cleaner due to back pressure and guide such air in a direction in confliction with reversely travelling air that reached said sump, and said casing having an outlet for air passing through said filter mass in the forward direction.

JOSEPH B. SEBOK. 

